The bingo calls are statements that a bingo caller makes when picking bingo numbers randomly, meaning there are no specific methods, as they all have an equal chance of being chosen. To avoid disarray between similar-sounding digits (like 14 and 40), an announcer or bingo caller will inform the number’s nickname and the number itself. He also calls out the numerals and may be responsible for verifying the winners.
If you are new to bingo calls, these epithets may sound bizarre. Nevertheless, these bingo number sayings all have a reasonable explanation, either because they rhyme with the number or because it is a cultural reference.
List of Bingo Calls
Here is the list of all ninety bingo number sayings.
Bingo Slang 1-30
| Number | Name | Explanation |
| 1 | Eye of Kelly | It is more like a military quibble, perhaps a reference to Ned Kelly, as he is one of the greatest folk heroes in Australia |
| 2 | One little duck | From the resemblance of the number 2 to a duck |
| 3 | Cup of tea | Rhymes with three |
| 4 | Knock at the door | Rhymes with four |
| 5 | Man alive | Rhymes with five |
| 6 | Half a dozen | A typical expression meaning six units. 6. Tom Mix. T. Mix was the first Western star in the United States, occurring in 291 movies |
| 7 | Lucky seven | Seven is a fortunate number in some regions |
| 8 | Garden gate | Rhymes with eight |
| 9 | Brighton line | It represents a British railway line running from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. 9. Doctor’s orders. Military doctors used to give laxative pills in World War II |
| 10 | Boris’s den | The name refers to 10 Downing Street, the place of the former UK Prime Minister |
| 11 | Legs 11 | A reference to the shape of the digit resembling a pair of legs, usually chicken legs. The players often wolf whistle in response |
| 12 | One dozen | Twelve units in one dozen |
| 13 | Unlucky for some | An unlucky number |
| 14 | Valentine’s Day | The 14th of February |
| 15 | Young and keen | Rhymes with fifteen |
| 16 | Never Been Kissed | There is a song called Sweet 16 and Never Been Kissed. 16. Sweet 16. It refers to the US and Canadian festivities of a Sweet sixteen birthday. You are not an adult, but you are no longer a child. |
| 17 | Dancing Queen | ABBA’s tune Dancing Queen has the numeral noted in the lyrics |
| 18 | Coming of age | Eighteen is the age of majority in the United Kingdom |
| 19 | Goodbye teens | People stop being teenagers at nineteen |
| 20 | One score | 20 units in one score |
| 21 | Key of the door | The standard age of majority. 21. Royal salute. It is called after the traditional 21-gun salute |
| 22 | Two little ducks | The digit resembles the profile of two ducks. The answer is traditionally – “quack, quack, quack” |
| 23 | The Lord is My Shepherd | The first words of Psalm 23 of the Old Testament. 23. Thee and me. Rhymes with twenty-three |
| 24 | Two dozen | 12 × 2 = 24 |
| 25 | Duck and dive | Rhymes with twenty-five and is made up of two that resemble a duck. However, number five corresponds to an upside-down two |
| 26 | Half a crown | Pre-decimalised currency in the UK. A half-crown is equal to 2 shillings and sixpence, written 2/6. 26. Pick and mix. Rhymes with twenty-six |
| 27 | Duck and a crutch | The number two looks like a duck, and the number seven looks like a crutch. 27. Gateway to Heaven. Rhymes with twenty-seven |
| 28 | In a state | “Someone is in a right two and eight” means “Someone is in an impoverished state!”28. Overweight. Rhymes with twenty-eight |
| 29 | Rise and shine | Rhymes with twenty-nine |
| 30 | Dirty Gertie | Rhyme derived from the name Gertrude used in 1927 as a fake appellation for the statue in North London called – La Delivrance |
Bingo Slang 31-60
| Number | Name | Explanation |
| 31 | Get up and run | Rhymes with thirty-one |
| 32 | Buckle my shoe | Rhymes with thirty-two |
| 33 | Dirty knee | Rhymes with thirty-three |
| 34 | Ask for more | Rhymes with thirty-four |
| 35 | Jump and jive | It is a dance move |
| 36 | Three dozen | 3 × 12 = 36 |
| 37 | More than 11 | Rhymes with thirty-seven |
| 38 | Christmas cake | One more term from Cockney rhyming slang |
| 39 | Steps | Alfred Hitchcock made a movie that is called 39 Steps |
| 40 | Life begins | Exists a proverb that declares life begins at forty |
| 41 | Time for fun | Life has started – time for some joy! |
| 42 | Winnie the Pooh | Rhymes with forty and two and Winnie-the-Pooh |
| 43 | Down on your knees | It was a widespread phrase during the war |
| 44 | Droopy drawers | Sagging pants |
| 45 | Halfway there | Being halfway towards ninety |
| 46 | Up to tricks | Rhymes with forty-six. |
| 47 | Four and seven | Two numbers that make up 47 |
| 48 | Four dozen | 4 × 12 = 48 |
| 49 | PC | Signifies the BBC Radio series – the adventures of PC 49. The expected response is – evening all |
| 50 | It is a bullseye! | Referring to the darts score. 50. 5 – 0, 5 – 0. 50. Half a century. Referring to 50 being half of 100 |
| 51 | Tweak of the thumb | Rhymes with fifty-one |
| 52 | Danny La Rue | Drag entertainer Danny La Rue. 52. Chicken vindaloo. Introduced by Butlins in 2003. 52. Deck of cards |
| 53 | Here comes Herbie! | Fifty-three is the racing number of Herbie the VW Beetle. Players can answer – beep beep! 53. Stuck in the tree. Rhymes with fifty-three |
| 54 | The man at the door | Rhymes with fifty-four. 54. Clean the floor. Rhymes with fifty-four |
| 55 | All the fives | Rhymes with fifty-five. 55. Snakes alive. Rhymes with fifty-five |
| 56 | Shotts bus. | The former number of the bus from Glasgow to Shotts. 56. Was she worth it? It directs to the pre-decimal price of a marriage licence in Britain, 5/6d. The players shout, “Every Penny!” |
| 57 | Heinz varieties | Refers to “Heinz 57” – the “57 Varieties” slogan of the H. J. Heinz Company |
| 58 | Make them wait | Rhymes with fifty-eight. Here, the announcer would pause, making the audience wait |
| 59 | Brighton line | Many say it is the train number from Brighton to London, engine 59 – and others express that all authentic telephone numbers in Brighton started with 59 |
| 60 | Grandma is getting frisky | Rhymes with sixty. 60. Five dozen. 5 × 12 |
Bingo Call Outs 61-90
| Number | Name | Explanation |
| 61 | Baker’s bun | Rhymes with sixty-one |
| 62 | Tickety-boo | Rhymes with sixty-two. 62. Turn the screw. Rhymes with sixty-two |
| 63 | Tickle me | Rhymes with sixty-three |
| 64 | Almost retired | The former British male age of obligatory retirement – specifically being one year away from it |
| 65 | Retirement age, Stop work | Old age pension. The classic age that men could quit in the United Kingdom |
| 66 | Clickety click | Rhymes with sixty-six |
| 67 | Stairway to Heaven | Coined by Andrew Lavelle. 67. Made in Heaven. Rhymes with sixty-seven |
| 68 | Pick a mate | Coined by Edward James Mackey II. Saving grace. Rhymes with sixty-eight |
| 69 | Anyway up | The 69-sex position. Either way up, meal for two, or a favourite of mine |
| 70 | Three score and 10 | A score is a way of counting in 20s in which one score is 20. 20 x 3 = 60 + 10 = 70. Three score and ten years is the span of life according to the Bible |
| 71 | Bang on the drum | Rhymes with seventy-one. 71. J.Lo’s bum. Rhymes with seventy-one |
| 72 | Danny La Rue | Rhymes with seventy-two. 72. Six dozen. 6 × 12 = 72 |
| 73 | Queen bee | Rhymes with seventy-three. 73. Under the tree. Rhymes with seventy-three. 73. Lucky three. Rhymes with seventy-three. |
| 74 | Hit the floor | Coined by Ann Fitzsimons. 74. Candy store. Rhymes with seventy-four |
| 75 | Strive and strive | Rhymes with seventy-five |
| 76 | Trombones | Seventy-Six Trombones is a famous marching song from the musical The Music Man |
| 77 | Two little crutches | Seventy-seven resembles two little Crutches. 77. Sunset Strip. From the 1960s television series 77 Sunset Strip |
| 78 | 39 more steps | 39 + 39 = 78. Refer to being “39 steps” above. 78. Heaven’s Gate. Rhymes with seventy-eight |
| 79 | One more time | Rhymes with seventy-nine |
| 80 | Gandhi’s breakfast | “Ate nothing”. 80. Eight and blank. Refers to eight and zero, the main consisting parts of the number eighty |
| 81 | Fat woman with a walking stick | The number eight envisions a woman with a wide bosom and hips, while the number one is supposed to allude to a walking stick. 81. Stop and run. Rhymes with eighty-one |
| 82 | Straight on through | Rhymes with eighty-two |
| 83 | Time for tea | Rhymes and scans |
| 84 | Give me more | The last of a dozen references! 7 x 12 = 84 |
| 85 | Staying alive | Rhymes with eighty-five |
| 86 | Between the sticks | Rhymes with eighty-six. Refers to the position of goalkeeper in soccer |
| 87 | Torquay in Devon | Rhyming with eighty-seven. Torquay, which is in the county of Devon, rather than one of several other Torquays, which were elsewhere in the British Empire |
| 88 | Two fat ladies | The number 88 visually resembles a woman next to another woman. Players can reply with “wobble, wobble”! |
| 89 | Nearly there | Eighty-nine is one away from 90. Players also use “Almost there” at times |
| 90 | Top of the shop | Ninety is the highest digit in bingo. Shop refers to the entire game of bingo. Ninety is one of the most loved bingo calls |
Want Something New Apart From Bingo Calls?
Most of these bingo calls and their nicknames are from British culture. Some bingo numbers have multiple nicknames, so do not worry if you do not remember them all. The key is to play, hear that bingo slang often, and memorize it as you play. We covered ninety bingo call outs, and you must desire to deepen your skills. We suggest you check out the 7bet blog, read an article full of bingo rules and strategies, and to improve your knowledge even more – do not forget to try some other games like Texas’em Poker, Checkers, or Blackjack.
